Bedstead.



No. 679,643. Patented July 30, l90l. J. B. SPENCER 8. A. A. CAMERON.BEDSTEAD.

(Application filed Kay 29, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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No. 679,643. Patented July 30, I91. J. B. SPENCER &. A. A. CAMERON.

BEDSTEAD.

(Application fllod Kay 89, 1900.)

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(No Model.)

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UNiTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH B. SPENCER, OF CORDELE, AND ALEXANDER A. CAMERON, OF MCRAE,GEORGIA; SAID SPENCER ASSIGNOR TO SAID CAMERON.

BEDSTEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 679,643, dated July30, 1901. Application filed May 29, 1900. Serial No. 18,423. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH B. SPENCER, residing at Cordele, in thecounty of Dooly, and ALEXANDER A. CAMERON, residing at McRae, in thecounty of Telfair, State of Georgia, citizens of the United States, haveinvented a new and useful Bedstead, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to bedsteads, the objects in view being toprovide a bedstead that is strong, durable, and rigid; that may bereadily set up or taken to pieces and compactly arranged for shipment,storage, &c., and which will be vermin-proof, as there are no crevicesin which the vermin may hide or conceal; to provide for the suspensionof the bed-bottom within the frame, whereby ease and comfort willresult, and to employ equalizers for the movement of the bottom and toovercome the unreliable tendencies of the suspending-springs, and,furthermore,to conveniently arrange the general structure of thebedstead and including opposite head and foot arches to serve assupports for nets or inclosing canopies and dispense with the necessityof using a frame independent of the bedstead for this purpose.

With these and other objects in View the invention consists in certainfeatures of construction and arrangement hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of abedstead embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is an endelevation of the bedstead, showing the bottom thereof in depressedcondition and the change of position of the equalizer used in connectionwith each end of said bed-bottom. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of thebed bottom of the improved bedstead. Fig. 4 is a transverse verticalsection of the bed-bottom.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The numerals 1 and 2 designate opposite or alined head and foot frames,respectively, and of inverted-U shape, each frame consisting of posts 3,connected by an arch at, the arches of both frames being of an equalheight. The frames 1 and 2 are separably connected bylongitudinally-extending side rods or bars 4:, which in the presentinstance are round and tubular to lighten the same, and at the oppositeextremities of each side rod or bar are dovetailed seat-blocks5,1'emovably fitted in corresponding sockets 63, secured on the inneropposing faces of the opposite pairs of posts 3, the recessed portionsof the sockets being reduced toward their lower extremities and theportion of each seat-block 5 to fit therein being correspondingly shapedto prevent the said seatblocks from moving downwardly beyond apredetermined distance and to always hold the side bars or rods 4: at afixed elevation when applied. The said side rods or bars 4. areremovable by lifting the same in a vertical direction to disengage theseat-blocks 5 from the sockets 6, and when these parts are connected asnug fitting is produced to avoid the formation of crevices and preventvermin from securing a lodgment. Each of the frames 1 and 2 is suppliedwith a pair of parallel transversely-extending bars or suspending-rods 7and 8, having their opposite extremities fixed by bracket-plates 9 tothe inner opposing sides of the pairs of posts 3, the rods 7 being uppermost and at a distance from the lower rods 8 sufiicient toaccommodate mounting the bedbottom and operating mechanism in connectiontherewith properly within the limits of the bedstead and to derive themost efficient operation.

The bed-bottom 9 comprises side rails 10, to which end rails 11 arefirmly secured, and have staple'plates 12, fastened on the upper portionof the opposite ends of each, in which longitudinally-directed end slotsare formed, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and also intheextremities of the said end rails beneath to fit over guide-ribs 13of a suitable length and secured to the inner opposing sides of eachpair of posts 3. The construction of each end rail 11 of the bed-bottom9 is similar in the particulars just explained, and the staple-plates 12each have an upstanding staple 14 for the reception of the lowerterminal of a suspending-spring 15, the latter being arranged in pairsin each of the frames 1 and 2 and depending from the suspendingrods 7.

The springs 15 will be of equal retractile tension, so as to hold thebed-bottom 9 in a true horizontal plane, and to prevent said bottom fromriding or elevating above a predetermined point the guide-ribs13 areformed with inwardly-proj ectin g stop-heads 16, which contact with theupper adjacent surfaces of the staple-plates 12.

ings 17 secured thereto, and in vertical alinement therewith arefulcrum-blocks 18 on the rods 8 below, and to the said fulcrum-bearbothequalizers being similar in construction and operating to prevent atoo-rapid descent or downward movement of the bed-bottom when a weightis brought to bear thereon, and also materially assist in causing thesprings 15 to work with regularity and prevent them from becomingstrained by sudden shocks to the tension thereof. izers also prevent atoo-sudden rise of the bed-bottom after depression and when relieved ofa weight that may have been brought to bear thereon, and also togenerally ease the movement of the bed-bottom and have opposite portionsof both extremities rise and fall equally without any tendency towardbinding or jamming.

Each of the equalizers consists of upper pairs of levers 20 and 21,having the upper extremities of each overlapped and movably attached tothe fulcrum-bearings 17, and also comprises a lower pair of levers 22and 23 in reversed position to each pair above and with their lowerextremities overlapped and movably connected to the fulcru m-blocks 18.The lower ends of the levers 20 and 21 and the upper ends of the levers22 and 23 are normally diverged a certain distance and movably attachedto connecting-bars 24 and 25, the bars 25 connecting the two innermostlevers of each set of levers on opposite sides, and the bar 24 unites orcouples the outermost levers, and thereby produce what may be termed afcompound lazy-tong. When the ends of the bed-bottom are depressed,

I the inner ends of the levers 20 and 21 and 22 and 23 are diverged agreater distance, as shown by Fig. 2, and the connecting-bars 24: and 25move outwardly in opposite directions in perfectly straight lines towardthe opposite posts 3 of each of the frames 1 and 2, and when thebed-bottom rises the parts of each equalizer move in anoppositedirection.

It will be seen that the bed-bottom is confined wholly within the frames1 and 2 and terial projection is avoided to accommodate an easy disposalover the arches 4, posts 3,. and the mechanism set forth of a net-canopythe side bars 4 and all the parts are close within the plane of theouter portions of the frames land 2, or nearly so, and thereby mato protect the occupants of the bedstead from flies or other insects.

All the parts of the bed-bottom and the connections therefor are fullyexposed, and

The end rails 11 inside of the staple-plates 12 also have fulcrum-bear-The equalthere are no crevices or cracks in which vermin can becomeconcealed,andthe many openings and hiding-places afiorded by the usualspring bed bottoms are entirely overcome and dispensed with and thedesirable action of a spring bed bottom is still preserved through themedium of the suspendingsprings 15. It is also proposed to dispense withthe use of a mattress, though such device can be used, if desired, andto replace a mattress an adjustable covering 29 for the bed-bottom isused and has its opposite extremities at the sides held betweenclamprails 30, arranged in pairs and connected by adjusting screw-rodsor elongated bolt-rods 31 with opposite screw-threaded extremities 32 toreceive nuts 33, bearing against the outer rail 30 of each pair ofrails, and it will be seen by tightening the said nuts 33 or screwingthe same inwardly over the rods 31 that the cover or covering 29 will bedrawn taut over the side rails 10 of the bed-bottom and held in suchadjusted position, or the said cover or covering may be slackened asmuch as desired. The covering 29 is removably secured at its oppositeside edges to the outer faces of the inner rails 30, and by pushing theouter rails 30 against the side edges of the covering and the innerrails by adj usting the nuts 33 the covering edges are prevented frompulling loose and the entire covering adjusted as may be desired. Thispart of the bed bottom structure affords means for keeping the bed in acleanly condition, as the cover or covering 29 can be removed at anytime and washed or be easily replaced by another when rendered unfit forfurther use by wear. Other advantages will appear from time to time forthose using the device, and in view of the convenience in separating theparts thereof and the ease with which they can be assembled, as well asthe means afforded for supporting canopies or other coverings inaddition to the general features of construction for producing ease andcomfort, will make the improved bed stead of efficient service inhospitals or like institutions and in large camps or on shipboard, aswell as in private homes or for domestic use.

Changes in the form, proportions, dimen sions, and minor details may beresorted to without departing from the principle of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In abedstead, the combination with inverted-U-shaped frames at oppositeends, a bed-bottom freely movable and suspended at opposite extremitiesin the said frames and provided with end rails having terminal slots,springs connected to and operating to draw said bottom upwardly tonormal position, and

-. vertically-disposed guides on the inner sides of the oppositeportions of the said frames tov engage the slots in the rails of thebottom and having upper inturned heads to contact with the upperportions of the end rails of the bottom to limit the vertical movementof the latter.

2. In a bedstead, the combination with 0pposite end frames, of abed-bottom adapted to be suspended therein and having side and endrails, a covering therefor loosely applied over the side rails and theopposite side edges extended under the latter, clamping-rails disposedunder the side rails and free to be adjusted, the said rails being inpairs at each side and having the side edge portions of the coveringheld vertically between the same and attached to the outer sides of theinner rails of each pair, the outer rails being closely disposed againstthe inner rails, said rails having wide sides arranged adjacent to eachother and the upper and lower edges in the same horizontal planes, rodsextending transversely through both extremities of each rail of thepairs of clamping-rails on each side and the edges of the covering, saidrods being horizontally disposed, and having screwthreaded terminalsoutside of the outer rail of each pair, the pairs of rails beingtransversely shiftable on the rods, and clampingnuts adjustably fittedon the terminals of said rods.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH B. SPENCER. ALEXANDER A. CAMERON. Witnesses:

W. S. MODUFFIE, J. W. CAMERON.

